The tech giant, Google, has reinstated approximately 10 Indian apps on the Play Store. This decision comes after the app developers made necessary adjustments to comply with Google’s billing policies by removing payment functionalities.
The conflict between Indian Internet firms and Google reached the attention of the country’s Central government. On Monday, March 5, 2024, Union Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar held a meeting with both sides to address the issue.
Sources indicate that the Indian Government has assured startups that it will work towards restoring the previous status quo before the delisting occurred. Furthermore, the IT ministry is considering the establishment of a long-term framework to prevent unilateral actions by large companies against local startups.
Rajeev Chandrasekhar took to social media platform X to highlight the concerns raised by startups regarding Google’s policies. He assured them that the government would engage with Google to find sustainable and long-term solutions to the challenges faced.
In a related development, Google has restored apps that comply with its billing policy, as reported by an agency. However, the reinstated apps have selected an option that does not allow in-app purchases. Instead, users can make payments externally through a browser.
Vinay Singhal, co-founder of the vernacular video streaming app Stage, explained that app developers had to comply with Google’s demands to maintain their presence on the Play Store. Failure to do so would have given the impression that the company had shut down, which could have adversely affected customer perception.
Meanwhile, India’s FinTech payments industry has sought government intervention against what they perceive as Google’s “abusive and monopolistic” app billing policy. The Payments Council of India (PCI), representing major payment companies under the Internet and Mobile Association of India, has called for amendments to the laws to address this issue.
As the conflict between Google and Indian internet firms continues regarding billing practices, the Central government is actively seeking a long-term solution that accommodates all stakeholders in the digital ecosystem.
Industry executives have confirmed that the reinstated apps will now offer an external payment option provided by Google, exempt from any commission charges. Nevertheless, Indian firms argue that the absence of in-app purchases negatively impacts their business prospects, according to an ET report.